Huskers Host No. 2 Kansas

Game 22: Kansas
Game Date: Feb. 5, 2011
Tipoff Time:  3:01 p.m.
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center
Capacity: 13,595

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game: 22
2010-11 Record: 15-6, 3-4 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
                Record at Nebraska: 85-64 (5th year)
                Record at Division I: 133-82 (7th year)
                Career Record: 253-121 (13th year)

Kansas Jayhawks
Game: 23
2010-11 Record: 21-1, 6-1 Big 12
Head coach: Bill Self
                Record at Kansas: 223-44 (9th year)
                Career Record: 430-149 (18th year)

Broadcast Information
Television: Big 12 Network (KLKN TV in Lincoln; KXVO in Omaha; KIIT In North Platte)
Click here for TV Listings outside Nebraska; Also available on ESPN Full Court and ESPN3.com
                Play-by-play: Brad Sham 
                Color: Stephen Howard

Internet Video: ESPN3.com
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network 
                Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka
                Color: Matt Davison
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Satellite Radio: Ch. 122 (Nebraska feed)

Huskers Look to Upset No. 2 Kansas
Following a disappointing loss at Kansas State on Wednesday night, the Husker men's basketball team looks to bounce back this Saturday, as Nebraska hosts No. 2 Kansas at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. 

Tipoff is set for 3:01 p.m. and a sellout crowd of over 13,500 is expected for the Huskers' final regular-season meeting with Kansas in the Big 12. As of Thursday morning, all of the seats were sold with just standing room only available for purchase at the Nebraska Ticket Office (800-8-BIGRED) or on the Internet at Huskers.com. It would be the Huskers' first sellout since the 2008 season.

The game will be televised across the region and throughout the nation on the Big 12 Network with Brad Sham and Stephen Howard on the call. The game can be seen in Nebraska on KLKN (Ch. 8) in Lincoln, KXVO (Ch. 15) in Omaha and KIIT (Ch. 11) in North Platte. In addition to the complete list on page 11, the game can also be seen on ESPN Full Court and on the Internet on ESPN3.com

Saturday's game will be available on the  32-station IMG Husker Sports Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Matt Davison on the call, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln and KRVN 880 in Lexington.

The Huskers (15-6, 3-4 Big 12) look to rebound after a disappointing 69-53 loss at Kansas State Wednesday night. In that game, Nebraska committed a season-high 22 turnovers - nearly doubling their Big 12 average - and Kansas State converted those miscues into 21 points. Nebraska held Kansas State to just 41 percent shooting, but the Wildcats came up big at the charity stripe, knocking down 21 of 25 free throws after entering the game hitting 60 percent all season.

The Huskers get a rare opportunity against a top-two team, as it is only the third time since 1993 that Nebraska has welcomed a team ranked first or second into the Devaney Center (No. 1 Kansas in both 1997 and 2002).  The Huskers bring a 14-game home win streak into Saturday's contest, including a comeback win over No. 13 Texas A&M in their last home outing.

The Huskers will need to play as well as they did in the first matchup last month, pushing Kansas to the brink in Lawrence before falling 63-60. In that game, the Huskers held Kansas to 46 percent shooting and out-rebounded the Jayhawks, 43-32. Nebraska controlled the tempo and led by as many as 10 points before Kansas came back behind the play of the Morris twins and Thomas Robinson.

Kansas (21-1, 6-1 Big 12) comes off a solid 88-66 win at Texas Tech on Tuesday, as the Jayhawks shot 51 percent and had five players in double figures. On the season, the Jayhawks average 82 points per game and lead the nation in field goal percentage (.519).

Quick Look at Kansas
No. 2 Kansas heads into Saturday's game with a 21-1 record following an 88-66 win at Texas Tech Tuesday night. In that game, Marcus Morris' 18 points led five Jayhawks in double figures. Thomas Robinson came off the bench for 17 points while Markieff Morris had 11 points and 12 rebounds, as Kansas shot 51 percent and committed just six turnovers against the Red Raiders.

The Jayhawks are second in the Big 12 with a 6-1 record, as their only loss came at home against Texas on Jan. 22. They lead the country in field goal percentage (.519), average 82.7 points per game and allow just 62.9 points per game. The Jayhawks are 4-0 on the road in Big 12 action, picking up wins at Iowa State, Baylor, Colorado and Texas Tech, and have scored at least 82 points in all four Big 12 road games.

Marcus Morris tops KU in scoring average at 16.7 points per game while shooting a league-best .600 from the floor and adding 6.8 rebounds per game. Markieff joins his brother in double figures with 12.9 points per game while topping the Big 12 with 8.8 rebounds per game.  While the Morris twins do most of the damage inside, KU has enough weapons that can attack from the perimeter as well, hitting 38 percent from long range as a team. Freshman Josh Selby has become an integral cog in the Jayhawk attack, averaging 12.0 points per game while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range. Tyrel Reed also chips in 9.5 points per game while hitting a team-high 43 shots from 3-point range.

The Jayhawks are coached by Bill Self (Oklahoma State, 1985). He owns a 223-44 record at Kansas and is 430-149 in his 18th year as a head coach.

Nebraska-Kansas Series
Nebraska and Kansas are meeting for the 241st time in school history on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers will be looking for one of their biggest wins in school history, while trying to end a 16-game losing streak to the Jayhawks dating back to 2004.

Kansas leads the all-time series, 169-71, including a 30-3 advantage during the Big 12 era.  Kansas has won the last 16 matchups in the series, the longest winning streak by either team in the series that dates back to the 1899-1900 campaign.  Nebraska's last win against Kansas came in 2004 when the Huskers knocked off 12th-ranked KU by a 74-55 margin.  Kansas suffered its worst loss ever to the Huskers in the first-ever matchup in 1899-1900 when NU picked up a 48-8 win. KU has returned the favor, handing the Huskers their two worst losses ever. In fact, KU owns four of the 10 biggest victory margins over Nebraska, with all four coming in Lawrence. Nebraska's series with Kansas dates back to 1900, the Huskers' oldest series with any of the Big 12 schools.

The Huskers own 15 wins against ranked Kansas squads in 81 all-time meetings with the Jayhawks when they are in the national polls. The last win came in 2004 when the Huskers knocked off No. 12 Kansas, 74-55. Nebraska is winless in 14 games where Kansas is ranked first or second at game time.

Jan. 16: Kansas 63, Nebraska 60
Nebraska pushed No. 3 Kansas for 40 minutes, but the Jayhawks extended their home win streak to 69 games with a 63-60 victory on Jan. 15. The Huskers led 30-25 at the half and eventually built a 10-point second-half lead before Kansas used a 15-4 run to erase Nebraska's lead midway through the half. The Huskers then cut Kansas' six-point lead to 62-60 and had a opportunity to send the game into overtime on the final possession, but Caleb Walker's 3-pointer bounced off the rim. Lance Jeter led NU with 13 points and six assists, while Andre Almeida totaled 10 points and a career-high seven rebounds off the bench. Almeida led a strong effort on the boards that saw the Huskers out-rebound the Jayhawks, 43-32. Jeter and Jorge Brian Diaz keyed a 10-1 first-half run to help Nebraska take a 28-20 lead. NU held Kansas to just 33 percent shooting in the half, as the Jayhawks trailed at intermission for the first time this season. Toney McCray then scored six of his nine points in the opening four minutes of the half, as his second 3-pointer gave the Huskers its largest cushion at 38-28. After the Jayhawks run, the teams battled and Nebraska trailed 58-52 before Eshaunte Jones converted a rare 4-point play to bring NU within 58-56 with 2:36 left. The teams traded points before Tyrel Reed's free throw with 10 seconds left gave Kansas a three-point lead and gave the Huskers a chance to send the game to overtime. Reed and Marcus Morris led all players with 16 points apiece for the Jayhawks.

Huskers Look for Historic Win vs. Kansas
Nebraska looks for one of its biggest wins in school history, as the Huskers host No. 2 Kansas on Saturday. It is the 11th time Nebraska has played a team ranked second in the country, but just the fourth in Lincoln.

• The Huskers snapped an 11-game losing streak to ranked opponents with the Jan. 29 win over No. 13/11 Texas A&M and are now 1-3 against ranked teams this season (1-0 at home).
• Nebraska is winless in 12 games against teams ranked in the top three during the Big 12 era, with all of the matchups coming against Kansas. In the Big 12 era, Nebraska is 0-5 against KU when the Jayhawks are ranked No. 1, 0-3 when ranked No. 2 and 0-4 when ranked No. 3. Three of those 11 games were decided by one field goal (once at home, 2002; twice in Lawrence, 2005, 2011).
• The Cornhuskers' last win over a top-five team came in 2005, when the Huskers defeated No. 4 Oklahoma State, 74-67, in Lincoln. That was NU's first win against a top-five team since the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, when the Huskers knocked off No. 3 Missouri, and the first home win over a top-five team since 1993, when the Huskers beat No. 3 Kansas.
• The Huskers have eight wins all-time against Kansas teams ranked in the top-10 with the last one occurring on Feb. 23, 1994 with a 96-87 win in Lincoln.
• Nebraska has beaten only one other team ranked second in the national polls, an 85-69 win over Oklahoma State on Feb, 5, 1992.

Last Time Out
Jacob Pullen scored a game-high 18 points while Kansas State converted 22 Husker turnovers into 21 points, as the Wildcats topped Nebraska, 69-53, on Wednesday.

Pullen was one of three Kansas State (15-8, 3-5 Big 12) players who finished in double figures, as Curtis Kelly had 16 points while Rodney McGruder added 10 as the Wildcats used an early surge to build an early lead and were in control most of the evening.

Lance Jeter led Nebraska (15-6, 3-4 Big 12) with 16 points and four assists, but the Huskers were unable to get untracked. NU committed 13 turnovers and shot just 37 percent in the first half, as Kansas State held the Huskers to just 17 first-half points in building a 14-point halftime lead.  Nebraska's 22 turnovers was a season high, as the Huskers averaged just 11.8 turnovers in Big 12 play entering the contest and had just eight turnovers in their last contest.

Nebraska led 4-3, but Kansas State used an early 10-2 run, including 3-pointers from Jamar Samuels and McGruder, to take a 13-6 lead with 14:14 left in the first half. The Huskers fought back, as two Caleb Walker free throws and a Drake Beranek jumper made it 13-10, but the Huskers went cold offensively, hitting two field goals over the next 10:35, as Kelly's six points led a 17-4 spurt to build the Wildcat lead to 30-14 after a Pullen basket.

The Huskers trailed 34-17 early in the second half, but a 3-point play from Jeter and a Diaz basket quickly pulled Nebraska within 12 with 18:14 left. The Huskers stayed within striking distance for the next seven minutes, pulling within 11 on two occasions, but the Wildcats converted on 18 of 21 free throws in the second half to keep Nebraska at bay.

Noting the Kansas State game

• Jorge Brian Diaz returned to the lineup after attending his aunt's funeral in Puerto Rico. Diaz arrived in Manhattan shortly before the Huskers' shoot around after his Tuesday flight was cancelled because of the blizzard. Diaz finished with 10 points and three rebounds in 28 minutes of action.
• Kansas State's 84 percent free throw shooting was a season high against Nebraska (min. 10 free throws)
• Nebraska's 22 turnovers was a season-high, as the Huskers' previous high was 18 against Alcorn State. The last time NU had 20 or more turnovers also came at Kansas State on Feb. 13, 2010. Nebraska was averaging 11.8 turnovers in Big 12 play before Wednesday's game.
• Lance Jeter was in double figures for the fifth straight game and is averaging a team-high 14.3 ppg in the Huskers' four Big 12 road contests. Jeter also had four assists, moving into 19th place on the Huskers' career assist list.
• Nebraska's 17 first-half points were a season low (previous low, 21 vs. Creighton)
• Nebraska held Kansas State to 41.2 percent shooting and has allowed only one team to shoot over 46 percent this season.
• Toney McCray's three steals were a season high, as he had a pair of steals on four previous occasions this season.

Its Been a While
With a 15-6 mark heading into Saturday's game against Kansas, the Huskers are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent years. The Huskers' 21-game mark ties the 2005-06 squad for the Huskers' best in the Big 12 era.

• The last time a Nebraska basketball team had a better mark after its first 21 games was in 1990-91, when the Huskers were 18-3 en route to a school-record 26 wins.
• Nebraska's quick start was recognized on Jan. 10, when the Huskers received four points in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, the first time since Jan. 16, 2006, that Nebraska had received any points in the coaches poll. NU received votes in both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll on Jan. 30, the first time that has happened in Doc Sadler's five seasons.

Down to the Wire
One of the keys to Nebraska's start this season has been the ability to get into close contests. Wednesday's loss at Kansas State was the first time all season where Nebraska was unable to cut an opponent's lead.

• Nebraska has been within five points with 2:30 left eight times this season, including four of the Huskers' seven Big 12 games. NU has a 4-4 mark in those games this season.
• In four of NU's six losses (Vanderbilt, Davidson, Kansas and Texas Tech), Nebraska was within five points with 2:30 left. In the loss at Missouri, Nebraska used a late run and cut a nine-point deficit to four points with 31 seconds left.
• The 2010-11 season marks the first time in six years that Nebraska has been involved in multiple one-point games (63-62 win over Iowa State on Jan. 8; 72-71 loss at Texas Tech on Jan. 22).

A Defense that Would Make the Blackshirts Proud
As is typical with Doc Sadler-coached teams, the Huskers' forte is on the defensive end. Nebraska is in the top six nationally in both opponent field goal percentage (.365) and points per game (56.5) entering this weekend's action.

The Huskers have held 13 opponents under 60 points and only two opponents have scored more than 70 points through the first 21 games. That is made more impressive when you consider that Nebraska has played five teams among the nation's top 25 in scoring.

• The Huskers have held all 21 opponents below their current 2010-11 season averages, while seven teams (Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Vanderbilt, Hofstra, Eastern Washington, Grambling State, Kansas and Texas A&M) scored their season low against Nebraska.
• Nebraska held 10 straight opponents to under 60 points earlier this season, the longest stretch by a Nebraska team since a 21-game stretch covering the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons.
• Nebraska's defense has been stingy at home, allowing just 53.0 points per game in 14 home contests.
• The Huskers held four straight foes to under 50 points - the first time since February of 1949 that has happened at Nebraska.
• The biggest beneficiary to the Huskers defense has been the fans at the Devaney Center. In 11 of 14 home games, fans have earned products from Runza Restaurants, whether its a Runza or burger (50 or less), chili or soup (51-55) or an order of fries or onion rings (56-60).
• Nebraska opponents have been held to 25 percent shooting three times this season, including 21.1 percent by Eastern Washington on Dec. 18.
• Nebraska's defensive excellence has been established under Sadler, as the Huskers led the conference in defense twice in his first four years at NU (2007-08, 2008-09).
• Nebraska's defense was put to the test during a two-week stretch to open Big 12 play. The Huskers' first four opponents were among the top five scoring offenses in the Big 12. The list features three teams (Missouri, Kansas and Colorado) all ranked in the top 11 nationally in scoring offense entering this week's action. In those games, NU allowed an average of 67.2 points per game.

 

More than Just Defense

• Nebraska's .475 field goal percentage is on pace to be the Huskers' best shooting since the 2000-01 team that shot .487 and ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage. That is Nebraska's best field goal percentage in the Big 12 era.
• The Huskers' current scoring average of 68.0 points per game is on pace to be the highest in Doc Sadler's five seasons (current high is 67.1 in 2007-08) and the most since averaging 70.7 points per game in 2003-04.
• The Huskers have also been solid at the free throw line this season, as their .711 percentage from the charity stripe is on pace to be the highest since Sadler's first season at Nebraska (.713).

The Sum is Greater than the Parts
When talking about the 2010-11 Huskers, Nebraska Coach Doc Sadler mentioned that this is the deepest team he has had in his five seasons. The Huskers have relied on that depth, as 10 players have averaged at least 12 minutes per game and no player is averaging at least 30 minutes per game. While the Huskers do not have a player in the top 20 in the league in either scoring or rebounding, they rely on a balanced attack with nine players averaging between 4.4 and 10.9 points per game.

• NU has had 10 different players lead the team in scoring at least once, as the only regular who has not accomplished the feat is senior Drake Beranek.
• A total of 11 players have scored in double figures at least once, while Nebraska has had just two current players score 20 or more points this season (Andre Almeida vs. South Dakota; Brandon Richardson at Texas Tech).

Jeter is Making Points
While the Huskers' strength is their balance,  the leader of Nebraska's attack is senior point guard Lance Jeter, who has started every game over the last two years since arriving from Polk (Fla.) Community College. Jeter, who began his collegiate career as a wide receiver at the University of Cincinnati, has made his mark in two years at Nebraska and now ranks 20th on Nebraska's career assist list. He is one of only three players on the top-20 assist list who will play two seasons or fewer at Nebraska.

Last season, the 6-foot-3, 222-pounder was named to the Big 12's All-Newcomer team by the media after averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 assists per game. He was among the league leaders in both assists and assist-to-turnover ratio and fell one assist shy of Nebraska's single-season top-10 list. He also played a team-high 1,024 minutes last season, the highest number of minutes by a Husker in three seasons and second-highest total by a Husker this decade.

In 2010-11, Jeter has been instrumental in the Huskers' success. He leads the team in scoring (10.9 ppg), assists (4.3) and steals (2.0). He is shooting at a 49 percent clip after hitting just 41 percent from the floor as a junior. He tops the Big 12 with a 2.6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and is third in steals and fifth in assists. 

He is the only player in the Big 12 Conference who averaging 10 points with at least four rebounds and four assists per game.

Jeter has been even better in Big 12 action, averaging 12.4 points, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, ranking  second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8-to-1) and third in assists and steals.  More importantly than his numbers, his leadership has been influential in helping the Huskers when they needed him the most.

• In last Saturday's win against No. 13 Texas A&M, he scored eight of his 10 points in the second half, including six points and three rebounds in a 10-1 second half run that gave Nebraska the lead for good. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. He also helped Nebraska commit only one second-half turnover (offensive foul on a ball screen) and shoot 50 percent after halftime against the Aggies.
• He nearly led Nebraska on a comeback against Texas Tech, scoring 11 of his 19 points in the second half, as Nebraska erased an eight-point deficit before falling by one to the Red Raiders.
• Jeter keyed the win over Colorado on Jan. 18, dishing out a season high nine assists while adding 10 points and six rebounds in helping NU snap the Buffaloes seven-game win streak. His nine assists against CU was the most-ever against the Buffaloes in Big 12 action.
• He nearly helped the Huskers to an upset at No. 3 Kansas with 13 points and a game-high six assists.
• Against Iowa State, he totaled 10 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals. His steal and drive in the final six seconds put him on the free throw line, where he sank the go-ahead free throw with 0.4 seconds left in NU's one-point win.
• Against USC, he may have enjoyed his best game as a Husker in leading Nebraska from a 20-point first-half deficit. He totaled 13 points, a career high eight rebounds and had five assists without a turnover.
• Against Creighton, he scored 10 of his 12 points and had five assists after intermission, as the Huskers overcame a nine-point halftime deficit in a 59-54 win. He finished with 12 points, six assists and six rebounds.
• Jeter showed his shooting touch against TCU, draining a trio of 3-pointers as part of a 15-point performance.
• In NU's win over Alcorn State, he nearly broke the school record for steals, recording a career-high seven steals and added 16 points and six assists in the win. His seven thefts were one shy of Nebraska's single-game mark.
• He totaled 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting and added five assists and four steals in a 70-67 loss to Davidson.

The Quest for Thefts
Lance Jeter enters Saturday's game with Kansas averaging 2.0 steals per game to rank fourth in the Big 12. He has 41 steals on the year after totaling just 29 in his first season at Nebraska and has multiple steals in seven of the Huskers' last 10 contests. Earlier this season, Jeter had a personal best seven against Alcorn State, which was one shy of the school record. He is threatening to become the first Husker since Cookie Belcher (2.7, 2000-01) to average 2.0 steals per game, something only two Huskers have done in the Big 12 era.

Diaz Looks to Become Consistent Inside Force
Sophomore Jorge Brian Diaz has quietly put together a solid sophomore campaign for the Huskers. The 6-foot-11 center is second on the team in scoring (10.6 ppg) and  rebounding (4.5 rpg) while hitting 55 percent from the floor. He is eighth in the Big 12 in blocked shots with 1.0 blocks per game. 

Diaz started Big 12 play slowly from the floor making nine of his first 32 shots, but has been more aggressive on the offensive end over the last four games, averaging 11.5 points on 59 percent shooting.

• He has been in double figures in three of Nebraska's last four contests, scoring 10 points in Wednesday's loss at Kansas State.
• Diaz enjoyed his best game of the season in NU's win over No. 13 Texas A&M, scoring a season-high 16 points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking a pair of shots in NU's 58-47 win. The performance was more notable, as he played after the death of his aunt on Friday and flew back to Puerto Rico immediately following Saturday's game.
• He has shot over 50 percent from the floor in 16 of the Huskers' 21 games this season, including a streak of 11 consecutive games earlier in the year.
• Diaz had led NU in scoring average until the Texas Tech game, and is still in position to become only the third Husker sophomore to top Nebraska in scoring in the last 20 years, joining former NBA standouts Tyronn Lue (1996-97) and Eric Piatkowski (1991-92).
• He was instrumental during the Huskers' 11 game win streak earlier this season, averaging 11.5 points per game while shooting 61 percent in that stretch.
• Diaz turned the corner in NU's win over Colorado, hitting 7-of-8 shots from the floor to snap the Buffaloes' seven-game win streak.
• He helped NU nearly end then-No. 3 Kansas' homecourt win streak with eight rebounds and eight points in a 63-60 loss.
• Diaz is quickly closing in on Nebraska's blocked shot career list. He has 63 blocks in his career and nine shy of 10th place on the list. He is eighth in the league in blocked shots at 1.0 per game.
• His best effort of the season came against TCU, when he recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and career highs in both rebounds (12) and blocks (three).

Diaz's season turned around at the Honda Puerto Rico Tip Off, where he played in front of family and friends. He was an honorable-mention all-tournament section, as he  tied for the team lead in scoring (10.7 ppg) while adding 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and hitting 57 percent from the floor. He totaled 13 points against Davidson, scoring eight straight second-half points to pull the Huskers within a point in the final two minutes, and a game-high 11 points in the win over Hofstra.

As a redshirt freshman, Diaz put together one of the best rookie seasons in program history in 2009-10. The 6-foot-11 center from Caguas, Puerto Rico, appeared in all 33 contests, averaging 8.8 points on a team-high 52.2 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game. He not only set a school freshman mark with 41 blocked shots, but also finished on NU's freshman top-10 list in field goals made (133, fourth), rebounds (133, seventh), points (291, eighth) and points per game (8.82, 10th).

McCray Adds Depth Inside
After losing nearly his entire sophomore season following Tommy John surgery on his left (non-shooting) elbow, Toney McCray is starting to make up for lost time. Since battling plantar fasciitis early in the season, McCray has been a solid contributor, averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game to rank third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding.

The Missouri City, Texas, product has moved into the forward role, where his length and athleticism has helped provide matchup problems, midway through the non-conference slate. He moved into the starting lineup in the final week heading into conference play and is averaging 9.1 points per game over his last nine contests. Prior to that, he averaged just 5.4 points in Nebraska's first 12 games.

McCray's emergence began against TCU on Dec. 11, when he came off the bench to record his first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. McCray had 12 of his 15 points in the second half against the Horned Frogs, including six points in a 13-0 run to break open a one-point game. He set a career high in rebounds, grabbing 11 caroms in a rout of Eastern Washington on Dec. 18.

In Big 12 action, he is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while hitting 50 percent from the field. He has also connected on a team-best 41 percent of his 3-point attempts during conference play. 

McCray had 17 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, at No. 15 Missouri on Jan. 12. McCray, who was in double figures just once in 16 Big 12 games as a freshman, tied his career high against Colorado on Jan. 18 with 18 points and a game-high eight rebounds. McCray's block of Alec Burks in the second half of the CU game was the No. 5 play on SportsCenter that evening.

Husker newcomers Making an Impact
Three of the Huskers' newcomers have played a significant impact in helping the Huskers to a 15-6 record, as junior college transfers Andre Almeida and Caleb Walker and senior Drake Beranek have all found minutes in the Huskers' rotation.

Walker, a first-team NJCAA All-American, has emerged as one of NU's top performers on the wing. He is averaging 6.3 points and a team-high 4.8 rebounds, while starting 16 games.  In conference play, he has upped his numbers to 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Walker was a two-sport athlete at Butler CC as a freshman in 2008-09, helping the school to an NJCAA national title on the gridiron before focusing solely on basketball as a sophomore.

• -He has reached double figures in points six times, highlighted by a 13-point, eight rebound effort against Iowa State. In that game, he hit 5-of-9 from the field and added a pair of 3-pointers and two blocked shots.
• -Walker had 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in Nebraska's loss to No. 15 Missouri on Jan. 12.
• -Against Jackson State, he hit 6-of-7 shots and added five rebounds and five assists, while he had 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in NU's win against USC.
• -He grabbed 10 rebounds against Creighton before pulling a season high 12 rebounds against Alcorn State, becoming the first Husker in three seasons - a span of 71 games - to grab 10 or more rebounds in consecutive games.
• -Walker reached double figures in rebounding for the third time this year when he pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss to No. 3 Kansas.
• -He turned in a solid performance against Texas A&M, totaling nine points, five rebounds, three streal and three assists, while limiting Khris Middleton to just 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting.

Almeida, a two-time All-American in junior college, has given the Huskers quality minutes off the bench, averaging 6.2 points on 64 percent shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game, as he ranks sixth in the Big 12 in blocked shots. He has lost nearly 30 pounds since arriving on campus in August and provides the Huskers additional size in the post. Almeida suffered a right ankle injury in the second half of Saturday's game against Texas A&M and did not play in Wednesday's loss at Kansas State.

• He has eight games with multiple blocks and his 27 blocks this season already ranks 10th on the Huskers' junior class list. He is 18 blocks away from the top five among Husker juniors.
• Almeida has been solid in recent weeks, averaging 7.2 points on .674 shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in his last 10 games before playing just nine minutes against Texas A&M on Saturday.
• Against South Dakota on Nov. 12, he came off the bench and led Nebraska with 20 points and seven rebounds. He hit on 9-of-12 shots, including nine consecutive shots at one point to help Nebraska build a 16-point second-half lead. Almeida became the second Husker newcomer in the last 40 years to score at least 20 points in a season opener, joining freshman Joe McCray, who had 23 points in his Husker debut in 2004. His effort was also the most points any NU newcomer had scored in his debut in Doc Sadler's five seasons at Nebraska, topping the previous best of 17 by Toney McCray in 2008.
• Reached double figures for the third time this season against North Dakota on Jan. 3 with 10 points, four rebounds and a season-high four blocks in the win over North Dakota on Jan. 3
• Topped his season best in blocks for the third straight game against Savannah State on Jan. 5 with five blocks while hitting all four shots from the field. His five blocked shots were the most since Aleks Maric had five against Hofstra on March 16, 2006.
• Shined in the loss to No. 3 Kansas on Jan. 12, coming off the bench for 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. His seven rebounds matched a season high for the 6-foot-11 junior.

Beranek, who originally walked on to NU after playing for three years at Division II Nebraska-Kearney, has given the Huskers a solid scorer off the bench.  He is averaging 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the foul line. Beranek is a solid defender who also leads the Huskers with five charges drawn.

• He started Nebraska's first two Big 12 games in place of Brandon Richardson, who strained his right knee against Savannah State, and had nine points and a career-high seven rebounds in a one-point win over Iowa State. He helped limit Scott Christopherson, who was leading the Big 12 in 3-point percentage at the time, to just six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
• Beranek's highest scoring performance of the year was against Jackson State on Dec. 1, when he had 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. He also had eight points in 27 minutes off the bench in the win over TCU on Dec. 11.
• He tied his season high for the second time against Colorado on Jan. 18, when he scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out a pair of assists in 22 minutes of work.

Plenty of Reserve
If it seems like Nebraska's bench has been more productive in recent years, it has been the case in 2010-11. The  Huskers are averaging 28.2 points and 17.3 rebounds per game from their bench entering the Kansas game.

• The Huskers' bench is out-scoring opponents 27.4-12.4 per game and has more than doubled its opponents' point total 12 times this season. Nebraska's bench has only been out-scored twice in the first 21 contests (USC, Crieghton), and not since Dec. 5.
• Nebraska's leading scorer has come off the bench seven times, including a 20-point game by Andre Almeida in the season opener against South Dakota on Nov. 12.
• NU's reserves have scored 40 or more points five times, including a season-best 50 points in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 15.

The highest points per game average from NU's bench since the 2000-01 season is 27.9 points per game, set during the 2003-04 season. Here is a look at the bench production during Sadler's five years at Nebraska.

 

An 11-Game Run
While No. 15 Missouri put the kibosh on Nebraska's 11-game win streak on Jan. 12,with its 77-69 win, Nebraska enjoyed its longest consecutive win streak since the 1993-94 campaign. It marked just the 10th double-digit win streak in the program's 115-year history and just the fifth since 1920.

• The streak began with a 15-point win over Hofstra in the final game of the Honda Puerto Rico Tip-Off and included double-figure comebacks against both USC (20 points) and Creighton (13 points).
• Nebraska posted six straight double figure wins, the first time that has happened since a seven-game stretch to open the 1992-93 season.
• Nebraska won three games by five points or less, including a one-point win against Iowa State and a two-point win versus USC.
• Prior to this season, Nebraska's longest win streak in Sadler's five seasons was six games (on two occasions) and the program's longest win streak in the Big 12 era was seven games in 1998, the last time the Huskers reached the NCAA Tournament.

Comeback Kids
Nebraska has shown resiliency this season, overcoming two double figure deficits this season. It is the first time in the Big 12 era that Nebraska has overcome a pair of double-digit deficits in the same season.

Against USC on Nov. 27, NU overcame a 20-point first half deficit on two occasions (the last being at 37-17 with 2:05 left in the first half) to win 68-58. Against Creighton on Dec. 4, NU trailed by 11 points in the first half, only to roar back to a 59-54 win.

• The 20-point deficit against USC equaled the largest deficit the Huskers have overcome in a game in the Big 12 era (1996-97 to present) and is believed to equal the largest deficit NU has overcome in a win. The Huskers also overcame a 20-point deficit in an 87-77 overtime win against Kansas State on Jan. 15, 1997.
• Nebraska now has 14 double-digit comebacks in the Big 12 era, including five under Coach Doc Sadler. Four of the top five comebacks by NU in the Big 12 era have come under Sadler.

Holding Court
Nebraska has been strong on its home court over the years, and continues an impressive run at home under Coach Doc Sadler in 2010-11. In the history of the Bob Devaney Sports Center, Nebraska has posted a 424-131 record for a .764 winning percentage. In the past five seasons under Sadler, Nebraska has dominated to the tune of a 68-17 record (.800 winning percentage) against all teams. The Huskers come into Saturday's sold-out game against No. 2 Kansas riding a 14-game home winning streak. Nebraska's 14-game win streak is two shy of the school record of 16 set during the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons.